A Stranger and A Shadow
by Maya Tamika
Summary: A theory I developed about Majora's Mask presented in the form of a two-shot. It's okay to be very confused during the first chapter. Chapter 2 is now up! One character is not stated in the description to avoid spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

In the long, lone morning hours, before the sun had risen and before the night had fully fled, before birds awoke and before animals stirred, there were trees. The trees whispered, passing information between them with the wind that gently rustled their branches. They spoke and sang and fell quiet only to take up song again moments later. Today, they spoke of the stranger that had come into the woods. The stranger who had pale skin and white hair and eyes with no pupils. The stranger who wore foreign clothes from a time long past and who painted his body with colours in strange, unknown patterns.

"He is tall," said one tree to another.

"He looks strange," the other replied, "not like the forest children."

"How did he survive?" a third asked, "how has he not been changed by the woods?"

"He must be different," the first tree said, "he is not a Tree Child or Wood Child, so he must have been changed, but he hasn't, so he cannot be a Sky Child, either."

"But he is followed, have you noticed?" the second added, looking down at the man in question, "there is a Shadow with him."

"Yes, there is. Do you think he knows?" the third questioned.

As the wind moved on, silencing the trees, and before it returned so they might take up their conversation once more, the stranger spoke. His deep voice rattled the branches of the trees and echoed in their leaves, unnerving the wind itself, it seemed, "why do you pursue me, mortal?"

The stranger stopped walking and looked around, glancing at each of the faces of the trees he had noticed were watching him. How nosy, he thought about them.

A few paces back, where the sun cast shadows from the leaves of the trees onto the ground, a shadow moved. It slunk out along the ground into the sun, where its true form could be seen. It was a man. He was tall and lean, with red hair and a solemn face.

"I wish to leave," the Shadow answered honestly, "and you seemed to know the way."

"So you followed me?" the tall man asked.

"Yes," the Shadow replied, "there is nothing for me back there." He looked over his shoulder into the woods in the direction he had come.

"Where do you think I am going?" the Stranger asked.

"I care not," the Shadow replied, "as long as it is not where I was, I will be happy."

"Then you will continue to follow me?" the Stranger asked.

"I will," the Shadow answered.

"Will you walk with me, then?" the Stranger asked.

This time, the Shadow hesitated before answering. Slowly, it said, "very well."

The Stranger waited as the Shadow approached. When the Shadow was a pace away from the Stranger, he stopped.

"Will you not walk next to me?" the Stranger asked.

"If you wish," the Shadow replied, "but I am just a Shadow. It is my duty to stalk only. To walk beside you without consent is to break my code, and thus disregard who I am at my core."

"Have you not done that already by leaving?" the Stranger asked.

The Shadow remained silent.

"Then keep your code," the Stranger said without anger, "stalk me if you must."

The Shadow nodded once. The Stranger continued on his way, the Shadow following one pace behind the entire time.

The two of them walked, cooled by the trees' conversations and the shade from the sun offered by their leaves. They walked in silence and without incident. Neither made any noise. The sun rose behind them, then hovered above them, then slowly began to descend in front of them. As the green hues of the forest turned to sunset's golden light, the Stranger stopped walking again, the Shadow immediately stopping behind him.

"We will make camp here," the Stranger announced, "what say you?"

"If you wish it, I will make you camp," the Shadow replied with a bow.

The Stranger nodded once, then sat where he stood. The Shadow then vanished into the woods. The Stranger waited, warily watching should the Shadow choose this moment to leave him, though he assumed he would not. Moments later, the Shadow reappeared with wood from the forest and began making a fire in front of the Stranger. When it was lit, he turned to the Stranger.

"Have you a tent?" the Shadow asked.

"Nay," the Stranger replied, "I will sleep on the ground. Did you not bring one for yourself?"

The Shadow shook its head, "I have learned to care not for such things as comfort."

"Very well," the Stranger said, lying down and closing his eyes.

"Do you wish me to find you sustenance?" the Shadow asked.

"Nay," the Stranger replied simply.

The Shadow waited a moment longer, then crept out of the circle of light created by the fire. It took a seat across from the Stranger and waited.

The Stranger awoke hours later to find the fire burning bright and warm. He sat up and gazed into the shadows beyond his fire. When he spotted the Shadow, he called to it, "have you slept?"

"No," the Shadow replied, "I have stayed awake to ensure your fire does not die."

"Such kindness you show me," the Stranger stated, "why? You do not know me."

"It is my very nature to serve. Whether I know you or not is irrelevant. I am not but a servant," the Shadow replied.

"I see," the Stranger replied, "then, if I asked it, would you join me by the fire?"

"I would," the Shadow replied.

"Then join me," the Stranger ordered.

Obediently, the Shadow immediately move into the light of the fire and sat across from the Stranger.

"Have you kept the fire alight?" the Stranger asked.

"I have," the Shadow replied.

"Have you slept?" the Stranger asked.

"I have not," the Shadow replied.

"If I asked it, would you let the fire die and sleep?" the Stranger asked.

"I would," the Shadow replied, "and I would do so while keeping you safe from the dangers of the night."

"Forget nightly dangers," the Stranger ordered, "they care not for me. I will not be harmed. Sleep. And let the fire die."

"Very well," the Shadow replied. It lay down and closed its eyes.

The Stranger also lay back down and slept until morning.

Upon waking in the morning, the Stranger saw that the Shadow was already awake and sitting up, waiting patiently on the other side of the smouldering remains of the fire.

"Did you sleep?" the Stranger asked.

"I did as you asked," the Shadow replied, "I slept, and I let the fire die. I disregarded the dangers of the night in favour of what you ordered me to do."

"You truly lead a life of service, despite having left it behind," the Stranger said.

"I left behind the people I served, not my life of service," the Shadow replied with a small smile.

"Come. Let us leave this place and continue onward," the Stranger said, standing.

"Might I ask a question?" the Shadow asked.

The Stranger nodded once and began walking.

"Are you going anywhere in particular?" the Shadow asked, falling into step a single pace behind the Stranger.

"Is there somewhere you would prefer to follow me to?" the Stranger asked.

"I have no preference as to my destination, or even my fate. I am simply wondering yours," the Shadow answered.

"No," the Stranger replied, "though I believe my fate to be guided toward a specific place. And I believe our meeting to be a result of fate in itself."

"Naturally," the Shadow replied, "fate governs all. Though some might call her a goddess."

"Some might believe it to be designed by a higher power, you mean," the Stranger clarified.

"Yes. Do you believe such?" the Shadow replied.

"I do not merely believe it," the Stranger said, "I know it to be true."

"Are you trying to escape it?" the Shadow asked.

"I could ask you the same," the Stranger answered vaguely, "but no. That cannot be done. One could say I am trying to deny it, though that is not true, either."

They continued on in silence for a moment, then the Stranger said, "if I asked it, would you come and walk by my side?"

"I would," the Shadow replied.

"Then walk by my side," the Stranger commanded.

The Shadow immediately obeyed and followed each step of the Stranger perfectly.

"Are you trying to find your fate?" the Shadow asked after minutes more of silent walking.

"In a sense," the Stranger answered, "it cannot be changed, nor denied. I am always to be led into it, regardless of any decision I make. Everything will work toward causing my fate to happen. There is nothing I can do to change it. By continuing down this path, I have not changed what my fate would have been. Rather, I have turned a corner already plotted for me. I am still going toward my fate."

"You are very knowledgeable in this area," the Shadow stated, "are you a scholar?"

"Far from it," the Stranger replied, "I have simply lived in this world long enough and been bound by its rules enough to understand it more than any mere mortal. And you? Why have you left?"

"I suppose one could say I am trying to flee my fate," the Shadow replied, "though, the way you speak of it, I doubt that is possible. Though I have escaped the horror I thought would be my fate. If I understood your words, I have not escaped nor changed my fate. I have merely turned down a path that I was always meant to turn down. And in so doing, I have moved away from what I thought would be my fate, yet never was to begin with."

"That is true," the Stranger replied, "you learn fast. I am impressed."

"Then would you teach me?" the Shadow asked, "your knowledge is clearly greater than that of any scholar I have met."

"I will not deny that it is," the Stranger replied, "but it would take many lifetimes for you to learn what I know."

"Then it cannot be done?" the Shadow asked.

"Perhaps. We will see," the Stranger said, "tell me, if I asked it, would you carry my bag for me?"

"You jest," the Shadow said, confused, "I followed you for a great distance, and watched you sleep at night. You have no bag."

"I have," the Stranger replied. He held up a bag, which he had been carrying in the hand furthest from the Shadow, "if I asked it, would you carry it for me?"

"Without question," the Shadow replied, "but you have confused me. You had no bag before."

"Indeed I did not," the Stranger confirmed, "but I have now. So carry it for me."

The Shadow nodded and took the bag, carrying it for the Stranger as they continued their walk through the woods.

As night fell for a second time on their journey, the Stranger picked a place to make camp and sat. The Shadow set his bag down next to him, then turned to leave and find firewood.

"You will find what you seek in my bag," the Stranger said, "search no further than right here."

The Shadow, who had been confused for much of the day by the strange appearance of the Stranger's bag and all he had said regarding fate, did as he was asked. He opened the bag and searched through it, finding more firewood than it looked able to carry, and that weighed much more than the bag had while he had carried it all that day. He set the wood up for a fire and looked in the bag again, where he found flint and steel, which he used to light the wood.

"Your work is not yet finished," the Stranger said, "there is one final thing in my bag."

The Shadow hesitated, then opened the bag again and found a clear, crystal bottle filled to the brim with soup.

"Is this your supper?" the Shadow asked, "I will heat it for you."

"Do not bother," the Stranger said, "it is not my dinner. It is yours. And you will find, when you drink it, that it is already quite warm."

The Shadow hesitated.

"You would disregard my kindness? You have done so much for me. Allow me to do the same for you," the Stranger said.

The Shadow immediately uncorked the bottle and drank the contents, "are you not hungry?"

"Nay," the Stranger replied.

"Then what are you?" the Shadow asked, "you do not hunger, you do not fear the night, you cause items to appear out of the air without explanation. You are clearly not of any species I have encountered before."

"Do I frighten you?" the Stranger asked.

"No," the Shadow replied.

"Nor should I," the Stranger said, "I will not hurt you. You serve me well. You should not fear my wrath."

"Am I right if I guess that your wrath should be feared?" the Shadow asked.

"Indeed it should. But only if it is directed at you," the Stranger replied.

"Then what are you? You still have not answered my question," the Shadow pressed.

"I am a deity," the Stranger answered, "but I have no use in this land any longer. I was made to guard the land, but that job has been done by three others for far too long. They need not my help."

"So you are leaving?" the Shadow asked the Deity, "is that why?"

"No," the Deity replied, "this, this time of war, if anything, is a time when they would require my help. But they have not asked. It matters not. I am leaving for other reasons. And those are my own."

"I will respect your privacy, then, Great One," the Shadow replied.

"I am not worthy of your praise," the Deity told the Shadow, "I have fallen from glory. I am a deity only by my powers, and the gifts I have been given. But I am a god no longer."

"What is your name?" the Shadow asked.

"I have none. There is no name the people may call me now to pray to me," the Deity replied.

"Then what was your name?" the Shadow asked.

"Not one you have heard," the Deity answered, "it has been lost for longer than you, or your grandparents, or your ancestors for several generations have been alive. But, if you would permit me, what is yours?"

"I have none, either. I am a shadow, a servant. I was given no name," the Shadow replied, "but, if you would permit me to call you Master, than you may call me your servant."

"Why would you offer yourself to serve me? A fallen god?" the Deity asked.

"I am inclined to serve," the Shadow replied, "and I have never served such an esteemed character as a deity. Even a fallen one. Even one such as yourself must be held higher than the highest member of the royal family. It would be my honour to serve you loyally."

"Ask you nothing in return?" the Deity asked.

"Only one thing," the Shadow admitted, "though for you, it would seem a trivial thing."

"What is it?" the Deity asked.

"Teach me," the Shadow admitted, "for as long as I live I wish to be your slave and your pupil. I wish to learn all I can about this world during one lifetime. I know it will never be enough, but any knowledge you can give me until I die will be sufficient."

The Deity seemed to consider for a moment, then he nodded, "very well. You may be my servant. You will do my bidding and with your help, I can perhaps become more."

"I would elevate your throne for you, if I could," the Servant said, "if there is anything I can do to restore you, just tell me. I will obey without question."

"Then I will give you a gift," the Deity said, "I will grant you life. A life much longer than that of any mortal. I will impart my knowledge to you until we both shall perish together along with the destruction of this world and even the most powerful of the goddesses."

The Servant's eyes widened, "thank you, Master. You truly are gracious. To allow me to live for so long and to learn from you for the entirety of it is more than I ever would have asked. And all in return of serving you. I thank you eternally, until the moon falls and the goddesses are destroyed."

"You are accustomed to serving deities, are you not?" the Deity asked.

"Yes," the Servant replied, "in a way. I have never conversed with one directly as I am now. But my people believe that we serve the Three Golden Goddesses and the royal family alone and directly. I have betrayed both and have been without a master, which is against our order, until now."

"What are you? Surely you are not Hylian, as I originally expected," the Deity asked.

"I am a Shadow; one of the shadows cast by the light of the goddesses shining on the Hylians," the Servant replied, "I am of the Sheikah Tribe, the Shadow Race."

"I see. Then you would be good at hiding. You have much potential," the Deity stated, "so, I have one more request for you before we sleep for tonight."

The Sheikah did not reply, but waited expectantly.

"Travel and gather knowledge," the Deity ordered, "wherever I send you, and whatever you do, gather your own knowledge. There is much I still do not know, and in exchange for me teaching you what I know. You must teach me what you learn."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," the Sheikah said, "I devote my life wholly to you."

**Herro!**

***cough*asianstereotype*cough***

**So…guess who these characters are. One of them is pretty obvious. The other is a little more difficult. And, if you're wondering, this is part one of two. I have no idea when part two will be uploaded, but it will come soon-ish. And answers will come too.**

**So, anyway, this is like a theory kind of thing that I developed about Majora's Mask. I'll explain more in the next chapter, because I want you guys to try guessing who the characters are (hint: the trees are not Zelda characters) and I don't want to give anything away.**

**Essentially, what you need to know is this is a theory I developed about something in Majora's Mask that will make way more sense in the next chapter. So it's okay to feel confused right now. Anyway, I'd like to hear you guys' take on this. Let me know what you think! And for the record, even if you hate it, I'm still posting chapter 2, so suck it! (I'm just kidding. I love you guys.)**

**Also, if you're following my other Zelda stories, consider this a 'I'm getting back into writing Zelda so expect new chapters hopefully by this fall' kind of an apology. I know, it's been a while…*sorry* More details on that will come when I actually upload more chapters to those stories…it's not at all relevant to this story here.**

**Until next time!**

_**~Maya**_

**P.S. I fail at typing, apparently… -_-**


	2. Chapter 2

As twilight fell, casting deep shadows along the land, the moon began peeking above the horizon, and two worlds intersected. This moment, when two become one, was unnoticed, however, by the figure that ran across a field. This figure, the figure of a Servant, clutched a carved piece of wood close to his chest, where it would not be seen. And this Servant hoped that at the end of this night, he would be a Servant no longer.

This Servant had served. This Servant had served the same Master. This Master had been served by this Servant for hundreds of years. And they had shared their knowledge. Both had become quite wise. But there were few things that the Servant had not told the Master. These things, despite being few and far between and seemingly insignificant, were enough when put together to bring the Master to his knees. Or so the Servant hoped.

So the Servant made his way across the land to his Master.

Upon approaching, the Servant heard his Master's voice call to him.

"You have returned. What have you brought?" the Master asked.

"I brought knowledge, as always," the Servant replied, "and I have accomplished your task."

"Good," the Master replied.

"But if you would let me," the Servant pleaded, "I would clean myself before sharing with you. My journey has been long."

The Master nodded and the servant went his own way again, to where his bed was. He moved his bed and descended into the secret passage he had made under it. It was small, and he had to duck to stand, but after a few paces, the Servant came to the end, where he had hid his pack. This was what he would bring with him when he left his Master. This was the thing that made him smile. This contained every piece of knowledge he had hidden from his Master.

This held his Masks.

A large, unnerving smile settled onto the Servant's face as he pulled the pack onto his back and clutched his most recent Mask close to his chest. He was happy…oh, so happy. Today was the day he left his Master.

The Servant returned to the Master, who immediately noticed the pack.

"What is this?" the Master asked, a small suspicion in his eyes.

"This is a gift," the Servant replied, ever-present smile seeming to only grow.

"A gift?" the Master asked. His suspicion seemed to grow. It was difficult to hide things from him, the Servant mused, so it made his smile grow further to think he had accomplished exactly that.

"Yes," the Servant answered, "to thank you for the eternity you have given me."

One other thing the Servant had done was prepare a ritual. And now, he held out his most recent Mask, the one that was blank, yet carved to fit his Master's face.

The Master took the Mask and looked at it. He opened his mouth to speak, but was unable, as the Servant began playing a song.

And a moment later, the Mask, engraved with the Master's likeness, fell to the ground. The Master was nowhere to be seen.

The smile on the Servant's face grew wider and he picked up the last Mask. He doubted if he would ever stop smiling after this moment. This freeing moment. He had his knowledge, he had his Masks, and he was free. He could continue to travel the world on his own time and was no longer burdened with returning to give the Master what he had learned. He could become whatever.

He had always fancied being a salesman.

And he had so many Masks. Why not sell some?

The thought made him so happy.

So, pack on his back and Mask in hand, the Happy Mask Salesman began his journey, collecting and selling Masks.

**So, part 2 was shorter than I expected…oh, well. I can come back and make it longer if I need to.**

**I hope I blew your mind.**

**If I get enough requests, I'll put a third part on this (but it will be just as short as this part) having to do a little bit with Link in OOT and MM, just to tie up loose ends. But I think you can use your imagination. If you want to see that, though, just let me know. I'll add it.**

**If you want a bit of explanation, here's the theory explained: I believe that the HMS was the one who sealed the Fierce Deity into a mask.**

…**that's about all there is to it…**

…**and it took two chapters to explain…**

**Whatever. I had fun writing this. That's the important thing, right?**

**So, yeah, leave me your thoughts and let me know what you think. I'm totally willing to discuss Zelda theories with you if you want, too! I'm a HUGE Zelda theorist, so I'm open to anything!**

**Until next time!**

_**~Maya**_

**P.S. I had macaroni mixed with chopped up hamburger meat for supper tonight. I've never had that before. It was really good. Have any of you had that?**


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